View From the Top

The screen in front of me is a graveyard of failed tactics.

There are ten little picture-in-picture viewports of team leader cockpit cameras on either side of my screen. The cameras were aimed at their faces. I’m not sure what sadistic bastard had organized it like that.

Green text scrolls up slower and slower. The audio’s literally dying down.

The main picture is the battlefield as seen from space.

Seven of those little soldier windows are issuing static or have gone black. Two of the cams that are still transmitting show what’s left of the faces of two dead leaders. It’s the last camera that holds my attention right now.

Billy’s heartbeat is slowing and he’s gulping for breath. He’s whispering for his mother to come help him. Blood is streaming out of his eyes are nose. He has holes in his chest. The audio consists only of his whispers, his wet gasping, and the sound of wind blowing through his broken canopy shield. The rest is static.

There are no more battle updates coming through.

The satellite view shows no movement and many plumes of smoke.

Billy’s heart stops and his eyes widen before crossing slightly and that’s that.

I sent them into battle with what I thought was a good plan and they died.



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